Play pen



Oct. 30, 1951 w, w E 2,573,526

PLAY PEN Filed April 6, 1948 2 SHEETS--SHEET l .ZVEMA/v W. VVH/TE,

Arrozusrs Oct. 30, 1951 I w, WHITE; 2,573,526

PLAY PEN Filed April 6, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 I i .9 a

. a) NORMAN Mimi/TE,

HIHHH u l aten ted 6d.

, UNITED; STATES PATENT, OFFICE PLAY PEN Norman White, Salem, Mass.

Application April 6, 1948, Serial No. 19,311 I I This invention relatesto a play pen for. children, and more especially to-a foldable playpen.One of the objectsof the present invention is to provide a play pen forchildren which may be economically produced.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a play pen ofthecharacter described which may be readily folded and stored.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a play penof the character described one-half of which may be folded or openedin.- dependent of the other half thereby enabling a play area of.variable size to. be provided.

A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a play pen of thecharacter described which does. not require stooping during either thefolding or opening operation.

With these and other objects in view which may be incident to. myimprovements, the invention consists in the procedural steps andstructure to be herein-after set forth and claimed with theunderstanding that the necessary elements comprising this invention maybe varied in construction, proportion and arrangement without departingfrom the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

In general, the invention relates to a play pen, for children, of.rectangular shape provided with a floor and four slatted wall portions.The floor is formed of two triangularly-shaped portions, the base edgesof which are hinged to opposite sides of a center piece. A pair of .theslatted walls are also pivotally attached to each of the extremities ofthe center piece in such a manner that the side walls forming each pairmay be folded on opposite sides of the center piece. This places oneside wall of each pair on the same side of the center piece. They may beopened to form a triangular space.

The advantage of this structure is immediately apparent because itenables the floor sections and the slatted walls to be folded againstthe center piece thereby providing a compact package for transportationand storage. A cord is attached to each of the floor portions to enablethem to be raised or lowered Without stooping. One of the slatted wallson each side of the center piece is provided with a slotted track andthe outer extremity of each of the remaining sides is provided with apin which rides in the slotted track of the adjacent slatted wall. Thisstructure enables the walls forming each triangular space to be closedagainst the center piece or opened by exerting pressure on only one ofeach adjacent pair of side walls. shortens the folding or openingoperation.

This structure, therefore,

p 3 Claims. (01. 5-99) In addition, this structure isvery advantageousbecause it enables one-half of the pen to be used in cases in which theavailable area is restricted or where the child is too young to requirea larger area. In such situations only one portion of the floor and twoof the walls of the pen are opened.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view in extended position of a play pen embodyingthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan'view of the play pen shown in Figure 1 in closedposition.

Figure 3'is a side elevational view of the play pen in closed positionshown in Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5. are fragmental views in side elevation of portions ofthe play pen in open position.

Figure 6 is a view taken along the lines 66 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a view taken along the lines 1-! of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a bracket.

For purposes of illustration, the drawings disclose a play penembodying. the present invention. This structure is provided with acenter piece which comprises an upright pair of spaced standards Ijoined by a horizontally extending member 2. Mounted on each of thesestandards I is a pair of spaced horizontally extending brackets 3,having extensions 3 which extend beyond the standard. These extensions 3are provided with apertures 4. y j 1 Floor portions 5 and 5' areattached to the horizontally extending center member 2 by a plurality ofhinges 6 which pivot upwardly from the horizontal. Thesetriangularly-shaped floor portions 5 and5' are made of planking or othersuitable material and may be protected by a cover. A cord 7 is attachedto each of the floor portions 5 and 5' and enable the floor-portions tobe individually raised without-stooping.

The floor portions 5 and 5' are enclosed by slatted wall portions 8..These wall portions 8 are pivotally attached in pairs to the twoupright standards I. As best shown in Figure 4, this is accomplished byattaching one extremity of each side wall 8 to a pair of side brackets 3mounted on a selected standard I by means of a rod 9 which passesthrough aligned apertures in the upper and lower portion of theextremity of the wall portion 8 and the corresponding aligned apertures4 in the extensions 3 of the brackets 3. This arrangement permits a pairof wall portions 8 to be mounted on each of the upright standards I. Themembers forming each pair may be separated and folded on opposite sidesof the horizontal center member 2 and opened outwardly to form one playsection of the play pen.

A bracket I0 is secured beneath the bottom railing of one of the pairsof wall portions 8 forming each of these play sections. This 5 bracketI6 is slotted as shown at l l in Figure 8 to form a track. A pin [2 issecured to the lower portion of each of the remaining side wall portions8. As bestshown in Figure? each of these pins extends downwardly andprojects into the slot ll of the bracket 10, which is secured to theremaining member of the pair, the abutting extremities of which form theplay section. enables the pen to be opened and closed by pressure ononly one of the wall portions il fornimg each section. i I

This track and pin arrangement also serves to secure together the lowerportions of the abutting side wall members'8. The upper portions of eachir ofabuttin side/Wa members formin the two. play areas are'secured by abracket [5, attached. to one ,wall member 5, and a pin is which issecured to the remaining wall member 8 of each .pair' of wall portionsby a cord. H. Eachpin it extends. downwardlythrough an aperture in thewall member 8 to which itis attached by the cord I 'lrintoan alignedaperture in the bracket !5. The pin is removed before the pen is folded.

In practice, the play pen is folded by succese.

sively raising the floor portions 5. and 5Cagainst the center piecebyexertingrliiting pressure on the cords l. The side wallportions 8 ononeside of the center pie'cemay then be closed by removing the-pin I6" fromthe bracket Hand exerting pressure on one of ,the sidewalls; Theremaining sides can be closed against the center piece-by similar'a'ction. e

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the folded article isonly a'little widerthan the'centerpiec'e and can be readily transported and stored( Itcanbe opened by'being placedina suitable space, and exerting pressure onone ofthe side wall portions 8; 1"I his opens one-half of the pen andthe corresponding 'fioor portioncan thenbe lowered. It is supported'bythe bracket [0. INS not necessary 45 to 'o'p'en'the remainder of the penunless it 'is'desired to do so; 'In the event that a covering is used ona floor the pen may be folded without removing; the cover. Each pair ofwall portions's are secured against accidental collapse by inser tion ofthe pins I6. r l

I claim:

l A play pen having a floor, comprising a pair of upright standards"joined by' a horizontally extending member which forms the center pieceof the play pen floor, a bracket mounted on the upperportion and abracket mounted'on the lower portion of each upright, a pair of egitengsie'n's' on each bracket extending from opposite sides of the uprightupon which it is mounted and at right angles to'the' c'enter piece, eachpair of extensions on the sam'e'side of each upright being in opposedrelation, four side walls for the play pen, means to pivotally mount oneend of each side wall upon a pair of opposed extensions to provide apair of side walls on each side of the center piece, means to fasten theremaining ends of the pair of side Walls on each side of the centerpiece together to form an inclosure in the shape of a triangle on eachside of the center piece, a pair of" triangular shaped seer portions andmeans to hinge one side 'of each floor portion to the opposite sides ofthe center piece, each floor portion being of the proper size to coverthe area or fthe triangle formed by the pair of side walls on eachsideof the horizontally extended member.

2 'A'play pen having a floor, comprising a pair oiupright standardsjoined by a horizontally extending member which forms the center pieceof theplay' pen floor, a bracket mounted on the upper portion and abracket mounted on the lower portionof each upright, av pair ofextensionsaon each bracket.extending from opposite sides of the uprightupon-which it is mounted and at right angles to 'the. center piece, eachpair of extensions on the same side of eachupright being in opposedrelation, four side walls for the play pen, means to pivotally mountoneend of each side wall upon a pair of opposed extensions to provide apair of sidewalls on .each side of the, centerpiece, means to fasten,after abutment, the remaining endsoi the pair-of side walls on each.side of the center piecetogether to form an inclosure the shape of atriangle on each side of the center piece, said mentioned side Wallsabove the first mentioned bracket and a removable pin mounted on the uprightportions of each of the remaining side walls, each pin'being'adapted to fit into an aperture in the respective bracket withwhich it is associated to hold the upper portions of the abutting sidewalls together, apair of triangular shaped floor portions'ior the playpen, and means to hinge one side of reach floor portion to oppositesides of the c nter piece," each floor portion being ofthe proper. size'to. cover the area of the "triangle for feed by the pair of side wallson each sideof the horizontally extending member. l NORMAN W. WHITE.

CITE!) The following referencesare of record, in the file'of thispatent? I N TED-x srarre PATENTS Number r v Name Date' 2,041,509- ByrneMay 19,1936

